Post Surgical Sketches – Let the Dance Begin

I am pretty sure that it was the morphine and anaesthetic that kept me up all night after my surgery, but as I was lying in my hospital cubicle 6 hours after coming out of surgery, I realized that there were images dancing in my head. Ones that I should not keep to myself. Having been surgically altered forever, my “outside” was never going to be the same, but my inside was still dancing, singing and yearning to be free.

Being the optimist that I am, I had a sketchpad and pencil on the table next to me, even though I’d been told I may not be able to move my hand or arm for days afterwards. Leaning against the rails that kept me from falling out of the bed, I sketched away, and was able to sleep, and sketch five times during that long night.

Family

I realize a week later as I drag my painful self around the studio, that the pain medication made this totally possible, but I’m encouraged to think of some new possibilities for paintings in the upcoming months. The lovely night nurse that kept checking on me told me the story of her son and his fiancé, a similar love story to that of Kevin and I….so I created one for her too…but it’s with her now. I found these simple pieces to be the most personal pieces I’ve done to date.

Self Portrait, Jan 21, 2013

Self Portrait, Jan 21, 2013

Creativity gives us hope, a vision and ultimately – a goal. We should never be afraid to express ourselves, no matter the situation we find ourselves in.